Five Italian tourists have died while exploring underwater caves 160 ft below the surface in the Maldives. 

The group had set off on a diving expedition on Thursday morning to explore the Vaavu atoll, according to Italian media. 

Authorities received reports of the divers’ disappearance at around 1.45pm local time after they failed to resurface at around midday. 

During the search and rescue operation, their bodies were discovered.

According to initial reports, the five tourists had boarded the Duke of York, a foreign-operated live-aboard diving vessel, and they disappeared near Alimatha, one of the atoll’s most popular diving spots. 

One of the victims has been named by Italian newspaper Il Messaggero as Monica Montefalcone, a respected marine biologist, TV personality, and professor of Tropical Marine Ecology and Underwater Science at the University of Genova, and her 20-year-old daughter. 

The other three Italians are believed to be from Poirino, Milan, and Padua.

Police have launched an investigation into the tragedy, but the cause of death remains unknown at this time, and no official statement has yet been released.

Weather conditions at the dive site today were unfavourable, with winds blowing between 25 and 30 miles per hour. 

Five Italian tourists have died while exploring underwater caves 160 ft below the surface in the Maldives (file image)

One of the victims has been named by Italian press as Monica Montefalcone, a professor and researcher at the University of Genova (pictured)

According to initial reports, the five tourists had boarded the Duke of York (pictured), a foreign-operated live-aboard diving vessel, and they disappeared near Alimatha

The meteorological service issued a yellow alert for the area this morning, which remains in place.

Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the incident. 

‘Following an accident during a scuba dive, five Italians died in the Vaavu atoll, in the Maldives,’ a statement read. 

It added that five died ‘while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 meters.’ 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, have said they have been contacting the victims’ families to provide any necessary consular assistance.’

According to local media, some diving experts believe the sudden deaths of multiple divers in this manner may have been caused by oxygen toxicity. 

Oxygen toxicity is caused by breathing oxygen at high pressure for a prolonged period, which can cause tissue damage and compromise the central nervous system. 

This is a breaking news story, more to follow.